Figured You Out
by lucifer ravana
Summary: Song fic of sorts, hence the title. Lucius and Arthur and entire world stretched out between them. Or just a man's fall from grace. Which one fell, no one's sure. LM/AW, AW/AD, LV/HP, LM/Others


_I like your pants around your feet _

_I like the dirt that's on your knees_

Neither of them knew when the affair began. Lucius would have said it started back in Hogwarts when Arthur had wrapped a hand up in his long hair and yanked him forward against Arthur's body. The pain coursing through his scalp had brought Lucius to his knees and Arthur's fingers had fumbled at his trousers to release himself into the aristocrat's mouth.

Arthur would have said it had started when both of them knew the severities of their actions. When he had thrown aside the rules of propriety in his Ministry office - broom closet, Lucius had called it - and had pushed the other married man up onto his desk.

There had been no words during both times, each of them knowing what the other wanted and neither of them truly wanting to give in to the other. Lucius had submitted only to the extent of taking Arthur's cock into his mouth and making the Weasley shiver and clutch at the pale skin. He would not allow Arthur to mark him either with his nails or teeth, and when the time came for Arthur to climax, Lucius wouldn't hesitate to push the semen back into Arthur's own mouth in a searing kiss.

Arthur had spat the first time but willingly swallowed the next few times.

Lucius would rarely bottom, preferring to take Arthur against the other man's desk, the wall, the window with the false view. He would whisper words like 'mine' and 'Muggle lover' to Arthur and sometimes whole sentences.

"Do you see them down there? They're all looking up at you. Can you imagine what they're seeing? You being taken by me!" The smell of sex permeated Arthur's nostrils as his gaze strayed out the window. There were no people down below for his office was underground, but they both liked to pretend.

"Perhaps your wife can also see you," Lucius hissed.

Arthur's elbow found Lucius' gut and when Lucius was moving back away from him, Arthur turned to face his longtime rival. "Do not drag her into this!" It was as close to anger as he would go with his trousers hanging around his ankles. He hadn't even lost his erection.

Lucius knew how to placate him and, once more, the Malfoy dropped to his knees.

_And I like the way you still say please _

_While you're looking up at me_

Arthur never fully understood why Lucius disliked bottoming for him. He certainly sounded like he did whenever he was the one being mounted. The Malfoy would wrap his bare legs around Arthur's waist as the notepad on Arthur's desk made an imprint on his skin. Normally they were good at clearing off any extraneous items that may get in their way but sometimes the urge would be too much and such precautions were avoided.

That was how Arthur knew when Lucius would beg for him. When the blond man came into his office, locking the door, warding the door, silencing the room, and by that time Arthur would be standing, his chair flung away from him and his fingers would be making short work of Lucius' expensive clothes.

He never could resist a short rub of his fingers against the rich fabric that he would never possess. How it could go on someone so unworthy as Lucius Malfoy angered Arthur and he took out his jealousy during their session.

Lucius would be pliant in his arms, nonresisting when Arthur shoved him back against his desk. The lubrication was always at hand in only a few solid movements, for Arthur had long since learned to be prepared and kept a short supply in his upper right hand desk drawer. He barely coated himself before thrusting past the tight resistance and burying himself into Lucius.

Lucius would cling to him, would moan in his ear, would ride him just as eagerly as Arthur would take him.

In the end, Arthur always made him beg to climax. Just a short plea, a loose cajoling of words and sounds that he would wrench from the Malfoy's throat. It was enticing to make Lucius beg, delivering an intoxicating feeling through Arthur that could never be matched by anything else in his life.

"Please," Lucius would say.

The word made Arthur climax before he gave the other man permission.

_You're like my favourite damn disease_

Arthur's own need to have Lucius certainly began in their school years. Two years Lucius' senior, Arthur had watched the first year strut through the school like he owned everything he laid eyes upon. He had heard of the Malfoys but this had been his first time seeing one of that particular family. Lucius was remarkably easy on the eyes and years had passed by before Arthur realized that he had been watching the boy, now teenager, for far too long.

His dreams took him to forbidden places. The idea of abusing his power as a prefect was more than addicting. It became a fantasy, to have Lucius at his mercy. To see that powerful figure brought down by him, the gangly fifth year with the hand-me-down robes and too many freckles. He was not perfect and so he sought perfection.

He yearned to make a pet out of the younger boy, to constantly touch that hair, to trace those lips, to know that Lucius was his and his alone.

Arthur's hand had closed around himself while he slept and he woke up with an erection and the desire to settle the matter once and for all.

He did not dare do so until his seventh year, when Lucius was about to go beyond his reach and he would have to leave not only the school but also his addiction.

In the interim, he had settled matters within the boy's bathroom, stroking himself to completion while he thought of gray eyes and silk.

_And I love the places that we go _

_And I love the people that you know_

Nothing ended after Hogwarts. Arthur had gone on to take a position in the Ministry of Magic. He married young, had children young, and thought that he would be young forever. When Lucius left Hogwarts, he did much the same thing as Arthur in securing himself a place in the Ministry as well as a lovely wife. The only aspect where they differed was in creating children. While Arthur intended to have many, Lucius would rather have waited.

What he was waiting for was anyone's guess. Arthur assumed it was perfection since that seemed to be all Lucius was about.

He had thought that he would foster a place with Lucius after that one blowjob in the bathroom that the Malfoy had granted him before Arthur left school. He could introduce Lucius to the right people, could bring him closer to himself, could create a sort of friendship that may very well include taking the younger man in the closets, in the corners, under the stairs, even in seedy motel rooms where no one would find them.

Lucius rebuked his offer almost immediately, smirking that insufferable smirk of his as he wandered away from Arthur to shake the hand of the Minister. Surprisingly enough, Arthur wasn't surprised nor disappointed.

Lucius wouldn't be Lucius without the customary arrogance.

After the introductions and the dinner, Arthur had managed to grab Lucius' arm and all but hurled him into the janitor closet. The air smelled of cleaning solution as his mouth closed upon Lucius' and Lucius was allowed to murmur a soft protest before a spell took care of their clothes and then the Malfoy was once more back on his knees.

It seemed to be the preferred place for them both.

_And I love the way you can't say no _

_Too many long lines in a row _

_I love the powder on your nose_

With the introduction of Lucius came the blocking of many of Arthur's Muggle support laws. At first, Arthur was willing to dismiss it as merely coincidence. He soon learned better. Lucius had never cared either for Muggles or Muggleborns. It was part of the Pureblood prejudice that Arthur could never fully understand.

After all, Muggles were intricate creatures that should be studied and perhaps a few things could be learned from them. The creatures did seem to be superb at survival skills without any use of magic.

Arthur never tried to impose his beliefs on Lucius and, aside from a few snide comments, Lucius never bothered bringing up the subject to Arthur. They normally didn't have time for such conversations as their illicit meetings were meant for one thing and one thing only. To have too much would ruin whatever it was they had between themselves. Neither of them even desired to give it a name.

All the same, Arthur knew he had to confront Lucius about the matter and to make damn sure of what he was up against. Lucius may have the upper hand when it came to politics and keeping people in his pocket, but Arthur was decidedly more liked around the Ministry. Neither of them bothered to think what they might accomplish if they chose to work together rather than against one another.

Arthur had found Lucius in the men's washroom, a small tray of cocaine already cut up on the counter. Lucius had graciously offered Arthur a straw and Arthur accepted in an act of comradeship. It was normally better to catch the Malfoy off guard in order to get him talking about anything of relevance. The drugs were irrelevant as the time dictated such means to relax. With an upcoming war, even the wizards were looking for other means outside their world to keep calm and functional.

"About the last Muggle bill," Arthur started.

"I blocked it," Lucius finished, almost cheerfully. "And I intend to keep blocking them and no, nothing you say will stop me in doing so. This Ministry already has far too many safeguards up for Muggles. We don't need anymore."

The bastard ended far too confidently for Arthur's liking. He wiped his nose and threw away the straw. "Just checking," he muttered before leaving the washroom, Lucius' laughter trailing after him.

_And now I know who you are _

_It wasn't that hard _

_Just to figure you out_

The impending war was no longer so much impending as it was right in everyone's faces. Arthur, like so many other fathers, spent his days trying to keep his family safe. Molly was soon pregnant once again with another boy and Arthur used this as part of the reason why he wasn't joining the Order of the Phoenix, despite agreeing with what they stood for. Later, he promised himself, later when his family was safe, he could take those sorts of risks.

The only time that he felt some reprieve from the war was in his sessions with Lucius that continued untouched. Arthur liked to think that there was some relief in their acts for them both. He did not know the extent of Lucius' own suffering but he did know that Lucius was a Pureblood and had ideas very much akin to what You-Know-Who seeming to hold.

All the same, he held his own counsel. Lucius said nothing about such matters to him and he would not intrude upon Lucius' own life.

His eyes shut as Lucius climaxed inside of him and he thought of Molly, of his kids, of his own life and how it would feel to lose one of his own. He could not bear the thought and when he reopened his eyes, spots swimming before him, he saw Lucius and speculated as to what would happen should the Dark Lord come for his longtime rival. Should Lucius refuse, the man would be killed.

He clung to Lucius for a few minutes after their fucking, as though willing a bit of his own life into the man. If Lucius understood his feelings, he said nothing.

It wasn't until after the war ended so suddenly and so spectacularly that the truth came out as to Lucius' true manipulations. Arthur's fury was near tangible.

_And now I know who you are_

_ It wasn't that hard _

_Just to figure you out_

"You sold us all out! You sold out your friends! Your coworkers! Everyone!"

At first, Lucius put up a facade of a scared man, confused due to mind-altering curses. He spoke in broken sentences, stammered here and there, and made futile gestures to try and pull out the correct word or phrase he was looking for. The act would have fooled the Ministry but it did not fool Arthur.

If Lucius had been under the Imperius curse then it was highly improbable that the Dark Lord did not tell the Malfoy to continue fucking Arthur Weasley.

But Arthur could not state such a thing outright. He dared not, for that sort of news would bring down his own family and he'd be shamed. He was not so good and noble as to disgrace Molly and the kids. They didn't deserve such a punishment for his own sin. All the same, sin or not, Arthur's fingers worked their way underneath the tattered robes Lucius wore in the Ministry prison and wrapped around Lucius' cock.

He stroked carefully, making sure to grant Lucius that slight twist of the head that made the Malfoy groan so lewdly.

"Tell me the truth, Lucius," he whispered, forcing himself to remain calm. "I already know what you are. I know what you did. You've nothing to either lose or gain here." The truth would merely be for Arthur's own benefit, to hear that sort of trust that Lucius had in him. Arthur knew he was worth more than the mere lies Lucius had told the Ministry officials and Aurors.

"Please," Lucius begged in an all too defiant voice for such a plea. Nevertheless, Arthur found himself growing aroused just watching those lips wrap around such a word.

He allowed Lucius to climax onto his hand. "Tell me the truth, Lucius. I deserve it."

"Indeed you do." Lucius' eyelashes fluttered just a bit as he came down from the peak of orgasm. "I was under the Imperius curse."

Arthur wiped the ejaculate from his hand off on Lucius' robe before storming out.

_I like the freckles on your chest _

_And I like the way you like me best_

The years between the wars felt longer than they actually were. Arthur's long hours at the Ministry weren't just spent dealing with Muggle bills and the misuse of Muggle objects. He had slept upon the couch in Lucius' office more than once but the final time came when he had woken up and found himself bare-chested. Several long lines done in by black marker crisscrossed the many freckles upon his body, extending all the way down to his abdomen.

He had spent all morning in the washroom furiously trying to get the black lines off of himself, all the while cursing Lucius' name and his inane jokes.

That night, he had gone home with Amos Diggory, a man he both admired and respected tremendously.

Diggory had none of Lucius' proud arrogance and Arthur had dominated the other man completely in bed. Diggory struggled to keep his mouth shut throughout, fearful that he may wake his newborn son, or worse, his wife. When Arthur climaxed, he called out Lucius' name and Diggory hardly seemed pleased by that.

"Are you and he..." He started to ask, his voice trailing off as though he didn't want to state such an idea out loud.

Arthur didn't help him with that. For the first time, he felt shame at what he was doing. Diggory was a good man, happily married. He had no right to inflict his friend with his own tawdry issues.

In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder if those tawdry issues pertained to whether he truly felt ashamed or just bereft of a better fuck than Amos. He liked the man but it was that same like that made him tired of the sex he had just had. The chemistry had fallen dangerously low and he wondered if he would ever hate his wife just to put some fun back into their marriage.

_And I like the way you're not impressed, _

_While you put me to the test_

"As you can see, Weasley, there is nothing of interest to be found there."

Arthur stood in the middle of a dark, hollowed out niche within the Malfoy Manor. Ron had owled him not two days before about what he might find in a hidden nook of the homestead of Lucius and Arthur had wasted no time in gathering his usual task force to perform another raid.

The hidden nook turned out to hold nothing but Draco's own baby toys and clothes. "Just in case Narcissa and I decide to have another," Lucius had explained to the understanding Aurors. Arthur toyed with a rattle, making sure that it wasn't cursed.

The Aurors were apologetic and left the house quickly. Arthur would have joined him were it not for the hand on the back of his robe, holding him in place.

"Your hypocrisy is showing, Weasley. Is this revenge for the car? I clipped out that particular article and saved it."

"How charming of you, Malfoy. I'm sure it goes very well with the shrine you have of me."

Lucius insinuated himself close to Arthur's back, one arm around his shoulders. "I find it fitting. You could be as crafty as a Slytherin, Weasley. Finding loopholes in laws you created, charming a car to fly even as you inspect my home for the exact same things."

"What I charm isn't meant to harm others, Lucius." Arthur was scowling now. "You play Muggle-baiting games with your charmed objects."

"I assure you, Arthur. When I'm baiting someone, they know it." Lucius' tongue slipped into Arthur's ear and the Weasley flinched. "It's not my fault if they grasp at the hook and become surprised when it sinks into their skin."

Arthur angrily flung Lucius' arm off of his body. "You waste the Ministry's time, Lucius. We know you have illegal items here. Don't think we'll stop searching for them."

Lucius merely smiled as Arthur slammed the front door behind himself.

_I like the wine stains on your dress_

"Such a pity about your daughter, Weasley."

It hadn't been enough. It wasn't enough that Lucius was merely sacked from the school board. He deserved so much more, most of which Arthur wanted to deliver with his fists. And now Lucius had the audacity to bring Ginny up, albeit quietly, in a crowded lift within the Ministry.

The whispers were insidious and sickening.

"She needed a personality transplant anyway. It would have been much better for her."

Vile, vile man! Arthur shoved another Ministry official aside to elbow Lucius in the gut but was blocked by Lucius' cane. His leg jammed up to try and knee Lucius in the groin and soon there was a pile of limbs and angles and hair tugging. Magic was forgotten in favour of fisticuffs. The officials who were trapped on the lift with the two feuding men tried to shift themselves into another corner.

One poor soul attempted to split the two men up and got a black eye and a swollen lip for his trouble.

Arthur could think of nothing but laying hands on Lucius, driving that damnable smirk off the Malfoy's face even as he felt his nose begin to bleed from the punch Lucius had gotten in. Neither of them could block very well in such a crowded atmosphere and the sharp 'ding' of the elevator wasn't enough to drive them back to their senses.

Walden Macnair had to pry them both apart, his arms gripping onto Lucius while Diggory and two others had to prise Arthur away. Even then, the two men tried to fling themselves back into the solid grip of one another, locked in a bitter struggle of eye contact now since they could not touch, and even tried kicking at the air ineffectively.

Arthur's robes had been torn and he looked in dire straits when he entered his office. Molly had summoned herself to him and it was only while her hands were upon his face that Arthur remembered the look Lucius gave to him before the blond was hauled away by Macnair.

The lust had been palpable and Arthur passed his own arousal off by saying how Molly made him feel. In return, he made her blush and he felt dirty.

_And I love the way you pass the check _

_And I love the good times that you wreck_

Arthur had heard Narcissa's announcement that she was pregnant.

He had been contemplating why an unknown admirer had sent him a reservation card for the Sundial, an elite restaurant that catered only to the wizarding elite. The food was at least twenty galleons a plate and the maitre'd had ushered him inside even after taking stock of his poorly mended robes. His food had been paid for, the man had said, and Arthur had sat down, feeling more than a little out of place but determined to have a fine time nonetheless.

He had been seated next to the window, giving him a grand view of the city below. His admiration had swept him from reality for so long that he didn't even notice when a couple took their places at the table next to his. He hadn't pulled out of his thoughts until a cold, familiar voice remarked, "This place has certainly gone to the dogs."

Lucius Malfoy sat with his back to Arthur, his attention seemingly completely focused on Narcissa who had spoken. "Just ignore them. You said you had some news?"

She was pregnant. Arthur gripped his wine glass so tightly, he thought it might explode under the pressure. He longed to stand up and leave the restaurant at that point but to do so would draw all the more attention to his presence and at that point, Lucius would have won.

He remained seated, wanting nothing more than to turn to face the Malfoys' table and tell Narcissa that he had fucked Lucius raw no less than two weeks ago on her husband's own desk and what did she think of that? But he remained seated.

Toward the end of the meal, Narcissa dismissed herself to use the lavatory while Lucius paid the bill. The blond leaned back while signing his name to the check and whispered to Arthur, "You should have told her."

Arthur didn't recover from his shock until the Malfoys were gone. His flambe dessert had gone cold and the wine tasted like ash in his mouth.

_And I love your lack of self respect _

_While you're passed out on the deck_

Against his better judgment, Arthur had intended Lucius' birthday party. The affair wasn't called that, of course. The upper echelons of wizarding society had their own terminology for such extravagant galas, but Arthur knew it all meant the same thing.

Narcissa certainly didn't invite him, which meant that Lucius did. That was the only reason why Arthur had decided to attend.

He stood in his own niche within the room, wine glass in hand with only a sip or two having been taken, and watched the other guests give their regard to Lucius. He watched the peacocks as they strutted around the guest of honour, doing all they could to get into his good graces. They complimented him, the Manor, his wife's expecting pregnancy, expected great things from the new Malfoy heir, and Lucius, for his part, encouraged such praise and compliments from them. He treated them with careless enthusiasm that Arthur enjoyed watching in the man.

Lucius was never truly himself even while he was in his element and Arthur knew it. He thought that he might be the only one in the room who knew it and then immediately berated himself for such a flattering thought.

The party seemed to go on for endless hours, the gifts piling up on the main table. Lucius would not open up any in front of anyone, no matter how much they pleaded with him. Arthur was silently grateful for this, as he knew his gift could not compare to the others.

When night came, the real party began and it brought with a slew of horrors that Arthur had never considered himself to be terrified over. There was a tangle of limbs and within it, Arthur could make out several faces. Narcissa, Macnair, Mulciber, a few other voluptuous females all trying to get a piece of the 'birthday boy' as they cooed. The stench of sex permeated the room and the other guests laughed good-naturedly as robes were unclasped and ties were loosened.

They were waiting their turn, Arthur realized, and the thought made his blood go cold. He coughed up what little wine he had managed to swallow throughout the evening and had hastily beat a path to the door. People crowded in around him and Arthur could have sworn he heard his name called out by a few guests, asking him to join in and have a bit of fun.

"Relax, Arthur," he envisioned them saying. "Relax while we fuck your lover."

He vomited in the perfectly planted rose bushes outside the Manor.

_I love my hands around your neck_

Arthur had taken his revenge for that night the next day. He visited Lucius' office right before the man was set to go home, had shut the door behind himself, had locked and warded it with silencing spells, and then had promptly lunged at the man who stood before him, briefcase in hand carrying who knows what. The case didn't matter as it clunked to the ground and for an insane second, Arthur thought it might pop open due to the force. It did not which only worsened matters he felt.

His hands closed around Lucius' pale, perfect neck and he squeezed viciously. His mind was reeling as he compared the freckles on his hands and wrists and arms to the clear skin of Lucius' neck. He was tanned as opposed to the pale Malfoy, who wasn't looking quite so pale any longer.

Lucius' neck went from white to red in a matter of seconds. The man had always bruised so easily and Arthur applied all the more pressure, enjoying the way Lucius' jugular felt against his thumbs and how if he only squeezed harder, he could break that particular artery and kill the man.

He did not, however, and his hands, acting of their own accord, brought Lucius' head up and then down forcefully upon the floor. He did it again and again until Lucius stopped struggling against him, his pale hands ceasing their clawing at Arthur's arm and neck. The skin beneath Arthur's hands turned from red to a frightful shade of purple and blue. It matched the tint of Lucius' lips at that point.

Arthur felt Lucius' arousal through his trousers as he straddled the younger man. He ignored that particular part of the man's anatomy in favour of seeing just how long Lucius could go without air while he contemplated homicide.

A wetness suddenly made him stop his movements. Arthur's hands loosened their grip on Lucius' neck and Lucius turned to his side, immediately coughing and gasping for air. One pale hand flew to his throat as though to inspect the damage. There were marks there already of Arthur's hands but Arthur wasn't watching that part of Lucius. His eyes were on the man's trousers.

Lucius had climaxed during the scene and Arthur, disgusted, immediately stood up. He delivered a swift kick to Lucius' side and left the room, hearing his rival and enemy laugh at him even as he choked on the air he was so desperately trying to inhale.

_And now I know who you are _

_It wasn't that hard _

_Just to figure you out_

Attention, Arthur worked out as he doodled on his paperwork. A clearing charm would take care of the caricatures he was drawing when the file had to be turned in to the Ministry. For now, he needed the distraction.

Attention. That was all Lucius had been going for and attention was all Arthur had to give him.

No charges were filed n Malfoy's near strangulation, though Arthur was certain Lucius' friends had inquired as to where the marks had come from. His quill snapped in two as he thought about Lucius' friends and how they may already know where the marks actually came from and how they had gotten there. Arthur hadn't forgotten the look on Lucius' face, the orgasm, the laughter that followed it.

Lucius thought he had him figured out and nothing Arthur could say or do would break through that predictability.

Lucius thought wrong. Arthur cast the necessary clearing charm and got back to his work.

_I love your pants around your feet _

_And I love the dirt that's on your knees_

Weasley's hand slipped onto Lucius' hair, holding the younger man's head in place as he rode the waves of sensational pleasure. Lucius' tongue was always wet, his mouth always inviting and the Malfoy knew how to work him until Arthur was moaning his ecstasy aloud until the fear of being caught crept in, uninvited, and closed his mouth.

Not this time, however. Arthur watched wit half-lidded eyes as Lucius swallowed all of him. He distracted himself by watching the contours of Lucius' mouth, seeing just how much the Malfoy could take in. He focused upon how that glorious tongue worked and what it was doing rather than the feelings it gave to him. How it caressed his shaft, trailing from the base down to his tip as Lucius teased his slit, rubbing his tongue along it before working the underside of his prick.

Manicured nails scratched gently at his balls and rather than jump at the unexpected pinch, Arthur embraced the pain as it centered him more in reality.

As time wore on and Arthur seemed not even close to making any of the divine noises he usually made, Lucius' pacing became a bit more frantic. His tongue moved faster. He took Arthur deep into his throat, swallowing around the man and Arthur smiled as he saw Lucius' throat constrict around his length, saw those muscles in the bruised throat move.

Lucius sucked all the harder upon him and Arthur merely responded by petting the man's hair. When he orgasmed, it came without warning and Lucius struggled to swallow it all, finally ending up choking a bit on the semen. Arthur finally made a sound at that.

He laughed.

_And I like the way you still say please _

_While you're looking up at me_

Lucius remained silent as Arthur hoisted his trousers back up and clasped his robes. Arthur had been the one to speak first.

"Not bad. Seems either you're getting rusty or I'm just tired of the same old thing."

That had earned him a traditional Malfoy glare of supreme loathing. Arthur liked to think it was copyrighted.

"If you're so tired, Weasley, why not move on?"

Because he wasn't ready to do so just yet. Arthur had broader plans for himself and for Lucius first.

"I heard you had a bit of fun with Diggory. Why pretend to be so clean and pure when you're the one cheating on your wife with two men?"

Arthur's hand moved quickly and the resounding slap echoed in the hollow room. The pain had been sharp, intense as the blow had fallen a bit harder than Arthur had intended. He felt a small surge of guilt that vanished in his victory that Lucius hadn't gotten turned on by that.

"Don't you dare even mention his name! He's far too good for either you or me, Malfoy." His tone was unforgiving, imperious and the look in his eyes must have said more than his voice, for Lucius didn't snap back with one of his usual caustic remarks. Though he dearly wanted to. Oh, yes, Arthur could see how much Malfoy wanted to say something but he kept his mouth shut.

"Just be satisfied that I allow you to suck me off, Malfoy. I shouldn't even be granting you that."

Arthur left a fuming Lucius behind. The price for such comments was a week of being ignored, belittled behind his back, and having more and more of his decisions and proposals overturned. That was all right, he decided. He had been through worse and besides, it had all been worth the price.

_You're like my favourite damn disease_

Lucius had refused to see Arthur for the fifth time in as many weeks. Arthur hadn't wasted any time in barging into the man's office late the next night, catching Lucius just before the blond had left. He had gripped the Malfoy's arm in so strong a hold that he managed to force Lucius onto his knees.

"Your pettiness is showing, Malfoy," he snarled.

"As is your addiction," Lucius had responded before taking the necessary position.

And yet, it was Lucius who seemed quietly glad of this development, that Arthur had found the balls to thrust Lucius onto his knees. That it was Arthur who spread his robes, grabbed Lucius' head and forced that perfect mouth onto the head of his cock.

Lucius suckled greedily at the man, making Arthur smile in return. Lucius could talk of addictions and perhaps he was right, he was still addicted to the Malfoy. But Arthur knew it and he also knew that Lucius wasn't aware of his own addiction. Otherwise his mouth wouldn't be on Arthur's cock so eagerly, his tongue wouldn't be lapping at him and he wouldn't appear so needy.

Before Lucius brought him to climax, Arthur shoved Lucius' head off of himself, one hand going down to stroke his hardness. He held Lucius' head in place with his other hand, entangled in Lucius' hair. When he came, he made damn sure to get it all over Lucius' face, specifically around the mouth. The result was a debauched and dirtied Malfoy who looked more than a little surprised at Arthur's latest move.

"You're filthy, Malfoy," Arthur said without any trace of compassion or affection in his voice. "Deny me again and I'll fist your arse and dirty you with your own blood along with my sperm."

With that, Arthur cleaned himself off, dressed, and was out the door before Lucius could scramble for his wand.

_And I hate the places that we go _

_And I hate the people that you know_

The war had started once again. Harry Potter had been telling everyone that Voldemort was back and only a select handful had believed him. Fortunately, it was the right handful.

Arthur had no reason not to join the Order of the Phoenix this time around, though his heart wasn't into physically stopping Voldemort. It was more of a conflicts of interest with him as he did make it personal with one of the Death Eaters.

Lucius had never been under the Imperius. Despite what the Malfoy had pleaded in court, he had never been forced to do anything he didn't want to do. To say that the man was incapable of torturing Muggles was laughable but Arthur wasn't laughing.

Not as he watched Lucius move through Knockturn with Macnair, also an ex-Death Eater who had been said to be under the Imperius curse, nor with Narcissa to pick out new books for Draco whose sister was a convicted Death Eater.

If Lucius was wholly innocent, then why did he spend so much time with other members of the organization? One would think that the Imperius curse would traumatize him well enough so that he wouldn't want any reminders of being forced into doing such heinous things.

Arthur knew better. He had always known better. So he watched Lucius cavort with Avery, Pyrites, Travers, and Mulciber. He watched the close interactions, the not-so-subtle looks as they eyed one another with undisguised anticipation. They knew the war had been around for a long time, they were right in the middle of it.

Arthur looked away, revolted by the sight, and missed the glances that Lucius sent his way, a frown creasing the Malfoy's features as he judged Arthur's own company in silence.

_And I hate the way you can't say no _

_Too many long lines in a row _

_I hate the powder on your nose_

Arthur had been furious at the news of Lucius' capture. He resisted the urge to complain to Dumbledore, knowing that such a thing was childish and foolish. It was pointless to rant and rave about his own personal stake in such a thing as Lucius' capture but it was difficult not to look upon Harry with anger for awhile. The boy had no true personal investment in Lucius, not like Arthur had. The boy had never gone to school with the man, had never been taken advantage of by Lucius, and had never felt that silky warmth of Lucius' mouth wrapped around his prick.

Arthur had experienced hell and for his final victory to be snatched out of his hands...

He thought about helping Lucius escape Azkaban only to capture him once again. He thought about going to the Minister and vouching for Lucius because he knew Lucius would only screw up again. If released, Lucius would run back to the Dark Lord and there would be yet something else to pin on Malfoy. Arthur would find it this time. Rather than focusing on the pleasure Malfoy could give him, he could focus on how good it would feel to see the man pay for all the crimes he had committed at the hands of one Arthur Weasley, a man whom Lucius had constantly underestimated.

In the end, all such ideas were dismissed and Arthur settled for a visit to Azkaban instead.

He never made it past the front door. There were no Dementors inside the prison. There were only guards who were quite polite to Arthur. Perhaps they sensed another long-suffering kin member who had been put under such dire stress by one of the prisoners.

The obstacle came in the form of the other two Malfoys. Narcissa looked upon him with fury while Draco regarded him with shining hatred. Were those tears in the boy's eyes? Arthur didn't want to think about it.

Draco had been the one to speak, delivering a hissed whisper of, "Your family's next, Weasley."

Arthur could have spun around, called a guard, told the man of the threat and Draco would, at the very least, undergo a series of invasive procedures in the Manor as well as multiple interviews. But it would be a petty revenge, Arthur knew, and he wasn't inclined to take Draco seriously.

That hatred in the young Malfoy's eyes, though, that had been the problem and he couldn't help but wonder if Lucius would hold that same contempt for him.

For the first time, true hatred began to form within his chest at the Malfoy patriarch. The bastard should have known when to quit, when to back down from the Death Eaters, when to run away for help. He could have come to Arthur. They'd shared so much by way of intimacy that wasn't really intimacy at all when Arthur actually dwelled on the subject. He chose not to dwell right now.

Lucius didn't. Lucius had sealed his own fate and Arthur felt inclined to let him rot because of it.

_And now I know who you are _

_It wasn't that hard _

_Just to figure you out_

It wasn't until Harry left Hogwarts to hunt down Voldemort that Arthur paid a visit to Azkaban to see Lucius. He wasn't sure what he expected but the figure in the cell was certainly not it.

Lucius looked more than a little determined. He looked the exact same, albeit dirtier than usual. His head was held high, the very picture of royalty wrongly incarcerated. His hair fell a little longer down his back but was unmatted and kept surprisingly clean. Lucius' skin was still pale, perhaps a bit paler due to the lack of sunshine, but nevertheless healthy. He was still being fed, still had his basic needs seen to, and from what Arthur heard, the guards were more inclined to treat Lucius with respect.

It didn't take a genius to figure out why. What Lucius' charms couldn't do, his mouth alone worked wonders.

The only difference Arthur could see was Lucius' robes, which were dirty, and Lucius' fingernails, which had dirt underneath them. The reason for both soon became apparent, as Lucius had done some renovations on his cell. From the window, a small funnel ran down the wall onto the floor of the cell. A small pit had been dug out of the dirt to hold the water. Around the pit was more dirt with a bit of greenery sprouting through. Not all of Azkaban was made of stone and Lucius had created himself a small waterfall to add a bit of presence to his current home.

It was the sort of small deed that made Lucius who he was instead of just sitting upon his cot and rotting away while making tally marks. Arthur had no doubt that should Lucius be in this cell long enough, he would make the place his home. Adaptability was what they called it and Arthur felt a strong desire to enter into the cell and destroy all that Lucius had made.

He was not allowed.

"I figured you out, Malfoy," he said, his voice a whisper.

Lucius glanced up at him with a bored expression. It did not fool Arthur.

"I know what you want from me. It's what you want from everyone. It's why you take such measures to impress other people, draw them to you. It's why you treat me like scum while submitting yourself to me on your hands and knees. You want the attention, don't you?"

Lucius said nothing.

Arthur reached down and undid his trousers. He pressed his exposed and erect groin between the bars, knowing full well how dangerous this could be. Not to mention how potentially humiliating if Lucius grabbed ahold of him and demanded the guards let him out or something would surely rip and tear.

"Prove me wrong then, Malfoy." It was as much a taunt as anything else and Arthur watched Lucius carefully, saw the man seem to take pause and then move, only to stop again and consider.

He swallowed a breath of relief as Lucius walked over to the bars and dropped to his knees. He had been right all along.

_And now I know who you are _

_It wasn't that hard _

_Just to figure you out_

"The war is over. We won."

The lump on the cot shifted a bit as the occupant woke up. Very little sunlight streamed down into the dank cell nowadays.

"I doubt you're surprised. You had to have known this was coming for a very long while. It was practically written in the stars."

Lucius sighed as he searched the ceiling, as though his answers could be found above. He waited another minute or two before looking into Arthur's eyes.

Arthur, for his sake, looked the very picture of rumpled tiredness. The war had been hard on them both, despite one being in Azkaban for a year and a half. The prison had been broken into and Lucius had been released only to find himself at the mercy of Voldemort, which was very little mercy at all. Azkaban had been changed a bit in the last attack. The Dementors were still gone as they enjoyed their time with the Dark Lord more than they did with Azkaban. Voldemort had given them plenty of sustenance.

Then Potter had come along and only one victor could truly remain.

The Prophecy had foretold that one couldn't live while the other one did, or so Arthur had heard. He put very little stock in the Prophecy but Voldemort had taken it to heart. It wasn't so much life, the Dark Lord had thought about, but the way one lived it.

The final battle had not been about curses but breaking of one's spirit. It was a pity Harry went into the battle thinking it was to be the former. It made him so much more susceptible to the latter. Voldemort had broken him and mended his bones and kissed away the tears with his forked tongue and Potter had forgiven him even for that.

In many ways, Arthur decided, that had been the culmination of his own fruitless battle with Lucius. The two men had gained very little and had lost far too much. A rather overenthusiastic Auror who recognized the boy from the tower had killed Draco, who had tried to go over to the Order's side. Narcissa had been devastated but at least she had Lucius to console her.

Arthur had even less. Ron had been eliminated. Ginny resided, in chains, within the Dark Lord's castle as a small diversion for Harry to play with when Voldemort was busy. Percy had been granted leeway since he had stayed neutral and the rest of Arthur's family had been slaughtered, including his beloved Molly who didn't deserve such brutal treatment.

"Casualties of war," Lucius had said with a hint of disdain and grief in remembrance of Draco. He didn't blame the child for trying to do what he did. He had never wanted that sort of life for his son; Arthur had heard him confess. He heard a great deal from Lucius these days. The blond would often visit Arthur in the dungeons of Voldemort's castle.

Arthur had been spared on Lucius' pleas. Voldemort did not believe in mercy but he did believe in personal vendettas, so he let the Malfoy keep the Weasley for as long as necessary.

"You thought you had me figured out, didn't you?"

Arthur turned his frown downwards at the cloth blanket he had been given and his tattered robes.

"A shame I always knew you, Arthur. Ever predictable. Even when you were trying to kill me."

Arthur said nothing.

"You'll be let out soon. You'll have to be leashed, of course. Kept with me at nearly all times as a precaution. You will have to obey me. Understand, Weasley?"

Arthur nodded and when Lucius left him alone in the darkness once more, he allowed himself a smile.

He still had Lucius Malfoy figured out.


End file.
